sb Chev. starter noise

[Mike Savelle]

what is the correct clearance , this is a racing starter that sounds noise loud when cranking, went to start it last nite and had to turn motor a bit by hand , has a good sfi flex plate and we have had three starters on it . Whats going on ?

[Alan Nyhus]

You need to check the clearance between the drive gear and the flex plate teeth. Many of the starters that use aluminum mounting blocks are all over the place for clearance. In general, from .020 to .035 is where you want to be. If you can insert a paper clip, you'll be in the ball park.

Here's how I do it, for what it's worth.

[Paul Merolla]

Also, don't count out the possibility that the starter gear could be too far away from the ring gear. I ran into that on my street car - for years, it sounded like a cat got its tail stuck in there, but no amount of shimming would cure it. I finally got fed up and took a good hard look...only the ends of the teeth were meshing. Ended up filing down the aluminum on the starter. Sounds great now.

[Mike Pearson]

I haven't seen any of the aftermarket mini starters that didn't want two shims installed for them to work properly. I have had Tilton, CSR and one no name mini starter and they all needed 2 shims. Many different blocks and flex plates as well.

[Mike Savelle]

thank you so much for the info , will check and correct .. Mike

[FED 387]

Also make sure you don't have the starter "cocked" in there a just little bit crooked---the 2 bolt holes they machine in the starter generally are not done the most accurate way possible either--the old paperclip deal is usually pretty close to where you want to be anyway---also ALWAYS have a spare starter and or starter drive---these things crap out on you at the worst imaginable times and you can change a starter out in a few minutes if need be--FED
387

[SSGN]

Originally Posted by Paul Merolla

Also, don't count out the possibility that the starter gear could be too far away from the ring gear. I ran into that on my street car - for years, it sounded like a cat got its tail stuck in there, but no amount of shimming would cure it. I finally got fed up and took a good hard look...only the ends of the teeth were meshing. Ended up filing down the aluminum on the starter. Sounds great now.

Paul, most of the better made racing starters had a washer/shim between the alum block and the starter motor. If you removed it then this would be rectified. I had a cheaper one and had to machine the alum mounting block also. This was for my Buick so I thought it was just a Buick thing. lol

[SSGN]

Originally Posted by Mike Savelle

thank you so much for the info , will check and correct .. Mike

I thought you quit racing and retired. lol

[Mike Savelle]

Ha Ha you forget I have a son that got the disease from me , sold my cars and he bought back one of them, now we are in a 50/50 deal going to the races looking like the Clampetts. .Mike

[Michael Compton]

We had an issue where the mounting holes for the starter on the block were not straight. Took forever to figure out why it would start one time and do nothing the next. Luckily, GPE Starters fixed it for me once I sent them the difference between the bolt holes. Might be worth a call to Jared and see if he can help. He is a racer in Stock and SS also.